Horse-detacher.



W J. S. RITSGHER.

HORSE DETAGHER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. e, 1908 Patented N0v.9, 1909.

Eiwuomioz W. J5. R s maa ANDREW. a. GRANINI m. Pnwwumoem-ums, WASNMGTON. nv c.

'Unrrian srarns PATENT enrich.

VJILLIAML J. S. RITSCHER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

HOBSE-DETACHER.

To all whom it may concern:

be it Known that i, TILLIAM J. S. lirrsonna, a citizen of the United btates of America, residing at iittsburg, 1n the county of Allegheny and btate or rennsylvania, have lllrellLbCl certain new and userul 11nprcvements 111 .L-iorseUetachers, of which the renewing is a specincation, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

llllS invention relates to a horse detacher, and the primary ob ect of my invention is, to provide simple and effective means for releasing the shafts of a vehicle to which a horse is attached, thereby preventing an excited or runaway horse from injuring the vehicle or occupants of the same.

A further object of this invention is to provide a releasing device for shafts that is adaptable for various kinds of vehicles.

W ith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be presently described and then specnically pointed out in the appended claim.

in the accompanying drawings; Figure l is a horizontal sectional view of a portion of my horse detacher. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of a housing. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the same. Fig. l is an elevation of a casing. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the detacher, partly in section.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the axle of a vehicle as provided with wheels 2, a bolster 3, a fifth-wheel a, and avehicle body support 5.

The reference character 9 denotes a casing having the rear wall thereof extending upwardly from the top and laterally from the outer end of the casing. The rear wall of the casing 9 is indicated by the reference character 12 and is secured to the bolster 3 by the holdfast devices 12. Two casings 9 are employed, one positioned at each end of the bolster 3. "he outer end wall of each casing 9 is indicated by the reference character 6 and is arranged in alinement with a forwardly projecting lug 6 which is formed integral with the rear wall 12. The end wall 6 as well as the lug 6 is apertured, and between the wall 6 and the lug 6 is positioned the end 7 of a shaft 8. Arranged within the casing 9 is a shiftable pin 10 which is of a length as to extend to the wall 6 shaft 8 and lug 6 whereby the shaft 8 is detachably connected to the bolster 3. That Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 6, 1908.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

Serial No. 419,496.

portion of each of the pins 10 which is arranged with a casing 9 is provided with a head 10 and interposed between the inner end wall (5" of the casing 9 and the head 10 and surrounding the pin 10 is a coil spring 1.1 the function of which is to normally maintain the pin 10 in engagement with the shaft 8 and lug 6. The pin 10 not only extends through the wall 6* but also through the wall 6 of the casing 9 the said wall 6 being apertured to allow of the pin 10 to project from the inner end of the casing 9.

The object of the springs 11 is to normally hold the pins 10 in position to retain the shafts S in engagement with the vehicle. The inner ends of the pins 10 are connected by chains or cables 13 to a head 1st, carried by the lower end of a rod 15 which extends through a casing 16, supported by the body of the vehicle. In the casing 16 is located a coil spring 17, adapted to bear against a head 18, carriedby the rod 15. The spring 17 normally supports the rod 15 in an elevated position. The upper end of a rod 15 is provided with a tread plate or cap 19.

The chain or cables 13 are supported and prevented from sagging by pulleys or sheaves 23 arranged in housings 2O suitably secured to the bolster 3, preferably by bolts 21 and The bolts 22 serve as bearing pins for pulleys or sheaves 23, mounted upon said pins. The cables or chains 13 pass through the housings 20, and connect with the head 14.

In operation, it is only necessary to press downwardly upon the rod 15 to move the chains or cables 13 over the pulleys or sheaves 23 to withdraw the pins 10 from the ends of the shafts 8.

It is thought that my invention will be fully understood from the foregoing description and I reserve the right to make such structural changes as are permissible by the appended claim.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new, is

In a horse detacher, the combination with an axle, and a bolster mounted thereon, of casings carried by said bolster, one at each end thereof, said casings having apertured outer and inner end walls, and a rear wall projecting above the top wall and laterally from each outer end wall, apertured lugs formed integral with that portion of the rear wall which projects from the outer end wall of each casing, said apertured lugs associating with the apertured outer end walls Y of the casing, said pins adapted to couple a heads and normally tending to maintain said of said casings, means extending through that portion of the rear wall which projects above the top wall for securing the casings to the bolster, pins extending through said casings and into said lugs, said pins of a length greater than the length of a rear wall pair of shafts to said bolster, heads carried by the pins and arranged within the casings, springs arranged within the casings, sur rounding the pins and abutting against said pins in coupling engagement with the shafts, receptacles positioned against the forward face of said bolster, one at each side of the center of the bolster, means extending through the bolster and receptacles for securing the latter to the receptacles, pulleys arranged within the receptacles and journaled 011 said means, said receptacles spaced from each other, chains extending through the receptacles, engaging said pulleys and connected at their outer ends to the inner ends of said pins, a bearing head connecting the inner ends of the chains together, a casing attached to the body portion of the vehicle, a vertically movable rod connected at its lower end to said head, said rod extending through the casing and connected to the body portion of the vehicle, a tread plate carried on the upper end of the rod, an abutment secured to the rod and arranged within the casing which is attached to the body of the vehicle, and a spring surrounding the rod and interposed between the bottom of the casing and said abutment.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

WVILLIAM J. S. RITSCHER. \Vitnesses MAx H. SRoLovrrz, C. A. ,RENZIEI-IAUSEN. 

